Not Justifying, but Doing what is right and just.

Introduction

People find many creative reasons justifying themselves for not doing what is right and just. Conflicting priorities, fear, selfishness, and playing politics.

Body

Moses in our 1st reading is telling the people they are justifying themselves for not hearing God’s voice and following his commandments by claiming it is too mysterious, too far away in the sky (pie in the sky) it is too hard, who can we carry it out. Moses says, “No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out."

In our Gospel parable of the good Samaritan, the Scholar of the Law is trying to justify himself for not loving his neighbor as himself, asking Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" the Priest, and the Levite justify themselves, probably for “good religious reasons”, touching blood and becoming ceremonially unclean, going around, opposite the victim of the robbers, nor helping him, stripped, beaten and left for half-dead.

Conclusion.

There are three types of characters in our readings today, the Robber, “Victim of Robber”, and the Good Samaritan. The people Moses, the Scholar, Priest and the Levite are all Victims of Robber in their own rite. You know when we find reasons to justifying ourselves rather than doing what is right just, we risk becoming the victim of the robber. How different are we from the Priest and the Levite when we don’t join our Catholic voices together to end abortion, saving the baby delivered alive, stripped and left for half dead. How different are we Catholics from Moses people when we let our Politian’s in DC get away with not passing long awaited immigration reform legislation to save and protect the desperate immigrant and protect our borders? They make all “victims of the robber”.

But Jesus our Good Samaritan has delivered us from the Robber, he is not afraid of touching the untouchables, through him we are victors. Jesus the fount of Mercy, has taken us in to himself heeled and saved us from injury and death, set us free from fear, conflicting priorities, and politics, he has made us, You and I Good Samaritans in his name, He justifies us by faith, calling us “Go and do likewise." Have mercy and do what is right and justice. Yes, Jesus is that something Moses said is very near to us, in the Eucharist, in our mouths and our hearts we only have to carry him out.